Morning Motivation: 8 Tips to Get Your Kids Up and Moving in the Morning

Mornings are hard. Especially when there are tiny humans in the picture, mornings can get a bit hectic. With back-to-school season on the way, creating a morning routine is not only helpful for getting out the door on time, but it can actually make mornings more enjoyable.

Creating a stress-free environment so mornings include more family time and less panic is important. If you or your child aren’t morning people, this will be especially challenging, but with a little practice and a few tips, you can be a morning person, too!

1. Give your child an alarm clock.

Getting an age-appropriate alarm clock for your child will teach them independence and give them an empowering responsibility. Obviously, you can be on standby if the alarm doesn’t wake your little one up, but getting themselves up in the morning empowers them to live with independence.

2. Create a morning playlist.

If mornings are a drag and you’re looking for a way to get some pep in your step, music just might do the trick. Try creating a playlist of your child’s favorite songs and playing it throughout the house as they get ready for the day. This not only puts them in a better mood, but it gives you a great excuse to have a few dance parties before school. What a great way to start the day!

3. Give them freedom in choosing breakfast.

Okay, maybe not complete freedom, because you might end up eating cinnamon rolls and chocolate cereal every morning. But instead, create a “menu” of several healthy, kid-friendly options and have them select what they want for breakfast that day. If having them choose the morning of becomes too hectic and last-minute, try choosing at bedtime the night before. This way you can set out all the cereal bowls and boxes for your kids to just grab and go the next morning.

4. Turn off the TV.

Avoid mindless morning hypnotization and just leave the TV for a nighttime privilege. This ensures that your kids are focused on preparing for school and getting everything ready for the day ahead. If you like to turn on the news or check the weather, try waking up a little earlier and doing so before your kiddos wake up. This way they won’t be distracted and you can keep their morning routine running smoothly.

5. Stay organized.

Creating a successful morning routine typically starts the night before. Packing lunches, picking out school clothes, gathering school supplies and permission slips are all things that can (and should!) be done ahead of time to avoid the panic of throwing things together last-minute. If your kids aren’t the best at picking out appropriate school clothes, try creating weekly mix and match outfits so no matter what pants and shirt they pair together, it will always look okay. You could even designate one kid-reachable drawer to place that week’s outfits in so they can just reach in and pull out their picks for the day.

6. Make your kids laugh.

As silly as this may sound, laughing is one of those natural mood boosters. Try telling jokes while you’re getting them out of bed or spouting off food puns as you make their breakfast. Silly dances and inside jokes are always a kid favorite. Whatever you can do to get your kid giggling and start off their day with a smile. This will not only boost everyone’s mood for the morning but create a positive impact for the rest of their day.

7. Get ready before your kids.

Yes, this means you have to get up a little earlier, but it will be worth it when you are not running around the house scrambling to get the day rolling for everyone else. This kid-free me-time will get your day started off on a good note, so you are in a great mood when your kids come rolling out of bed.

8. Get plenty of sleep.

A great morning starts with a great night’s sleep. Make sure both you and your kids are getting an adequate amount of sleep. If your kids are waking up irritable, consider making bedtime a little earlier and see how they respond. Check out the National Sleep Foundation for some information on how much sleep, by age, you and your kids should actually be getting each night.

Making your mornings stress-free can be as easy as implementing just one of these tips. Start small and try 1 or 2 of them and see the difference it makes in your morning. Before you know it, you and your whole family might just become morning people!